AN: This is my first ever fanfic I'm hoping it will be pretty long it will follow Rickard Stark's children beginning right before the tourney of Harrenhal, and it will be AU. You'll have to read it to find out the pairings.
At the beginning of this story I'm trying to stay as close as I can to canon with the ages of the characters and this is about what I got from my 5 minutes of research (read:google)
Rickard: 41 years old
Lyarra: 39 years old
Brandon: 19 years old
Ned: 17 years old
Lyanna: 15 years old
Benjen: 14 years old
Lyanna 281 AC
She could hear the ring of metal clashing as she rode through the Winterfell's eastern gate. Lyanna gave a slight pull of the reigns and her mare slowed to a stop at the edge of the courtyard. Lyanna's oldest brother, Brandon, was sparring with the master-at-arms Ser Rodrik Cassel. The two men were hammering away at each other with blunted practice swords in the center of the courtyard while the Benjen, the youngest Stark, looked on with keen interest off to the side along with the simpleton Hodor.
The two men seemed to be in a dead heat with a slight edge going Brandon who used his superior strength to push Rodrik back. The more experienced Rodrik would not be defeated that easily, as he sidestepped a thrust of Brandon's sword and quickly responded with an overhead slash which Brandon deflected with his shield leaving Rodrik off balance. Brandon quickly followed up with a slash that he stopped just short of connecting with Rodrick's neck.
"I yield," the older knight grumbled in exasperation.
"You're getting slow and predictable in your old age," ribbed the young heir. "If you want I can teach you a thing or two after You're done with Benjen."
"Anymore lip from you and I'll have too actually try next time we spar." Brandon laughed in response as on only needed to look at the knight's sweat stained shirt to see that claim was a lie.
With the sun beginning to set and the fight over, the impromptu crowd of Winterfell residents that had gathered to spectate began to disperse. Lyanna dismounted and walked over to Hodor.
"Willas, would you bring Dancer to the stables and make sure she is taken care of." Lyanna asked as she handed of her mares reigns to the giant stablehand.
"Hodor," the groom responded cheerfully as he took the reigns and headed for the stables.
She turned back to her younger brother who was heading towards the hall. She quickened her pace to catch up to Benjen who greeted her with a nod then asked "Does father know you were out riding in the Wolfswood without any of the guards?"
Lyanna turned her nose up and looked away, "What father does not know will not hurt him," came her impetuous response. "Besides, who is to say that I was even in the Wolfswood when I went riding?"
Benjen smirked "I saw you, from maester Walys's tower during my lessons this afternoon, which happens to overlook the eastern gate." Lyanna suppressed a groan as she knew that Benjen would love to hold this over her.
"What is it that you want now Benjen?" she sighed
"Nothing just know that you owe me one, It is always good to have a favour in your pocket," was Benjen's sly response. Just then a guard opened the door and the two bickering sibling entered the great hall. They headed to the head table where Lord Rickard and Lady Lyarra were already seated. Seeing the two approaching their father greeted them with a smile.
"What is it you two have been up to all day, and where is Brandon at" Lyanna looked at Benjen nervously as he began to respond.
"Lyanna and I were riding out on the Moors today after our lesson," he lied smoothly, "and Brandon is washing up before supper he just got done sparring with Ser Rodrik." Benjen sat on the other side of their parents, leaned forward and mouthed 'you owe me' with a wink. The two began to dish up some of their food as their parents talked to maester Walys who had entered the great hall shortly after the two Stark children. Lyanna listened for a bit but quickly grew tired of all the talks of marriages and alliances being made in the south. The topic brought her to dark thoughts about her own future as the promised bride of the heir to Storm's end. She envied her brothers Ned and Benjen who as second and third sons did not have as much worth in regards to political marriage. Lyanna and Brandon were both already promised to another in order for political gain, Lyanna to a man she had never met before. While Robert Baratheon was a close friend, in fact almost a brother, to Ned she still could not shake the apprehension at the match.
Lyanna had been told by her father two moons ago that she was promised to Ned's foster brother. She had soon after sent a raven to her brother in the Eyrie asking about the man he had grown up with. In the letters that her brother sent it was clear that he loved Robert as a brother and thought him a good man. Ned's description of Robert reminded her a lot of her wolf-blooded oldest brother Brandon, them both being the confident extroverted heirs to one of the seven kingdoms. The comparison had caused some fears as she thought of Barbrey Ryswell who her brother had and affair with when he was being fostered in Barrowton. While Ned was too honorable to trade in gosip he could not let his younger sister enter a marriage and be blindsided by Robert's past. So when she asked Ned about these fears he came clean to her telling Lyanna of the bastard that Robert had sired in the Vale. Lyanna had been perturbed by her Ned's letter. Lyanna had gone to her mother earlier in the day with her fears about her future spouse. While her mother was sympathetic to her plight she told her that as a daughter of a great house it was her duty to marry for honor rather than love and she should enter the marriage with an open heart and mind so as to try and make the best of the situation that she was in.
Lyarra's advice was not enough to assuage Lyanna's doubts about the betrothal which was the reason that she had gone out riding in the Wolfswood that day rather than going to lessons with her brother. Riding with Dancer made her feel free. Rickard and Lyarra both hated her going out riding alone without anyone else, but the young girl loved the solitude of the windswept moors and the quiet among the evergreens in the Wolfswood. Lyanna was daydreaming about such things when Brandon took the seat next to her and her father stood up at the head of the table and cleared his throat to get his children's attention. "I have news from your brother," Rockar started. "As he is almost 18 and a man grown now he will be leaving his foster home of the Eyrie." The Stark children widened their eyes in surprise and excitement at the news as it had been almost two years since the last time any of them had seen their brother.
"When is he to be expected back in Winterfell?" Benjen interjected excitedly.
"That brings me to the second piece of news," Rickard paused before continuing. "He will not be returning home, rather he will be going to Walter Whent's Tourney at Harrenhal. It is to be quite grand with competitions in just about every feat, and the largest purses ever seen for the champions. A great opportunity to meet and make connections with some of the great houses of the south. As such I have decided to go myself and I will be taking Brandon and Lyanna with me. We will leave in a weeks time."
"But Father!" Benjen Cried out in anger, " Why am I to be left behind?"
"Because as I have told all of you on multiple occasions there must always be a Stark in Winterfell"
"Why must the Stark in Winterfell be me, why not Benjen or Lyanna?"
"Because Brandon is my heir and as such it is most important that he become well acquainted with the lord's and lady's of the south, and Lyanna must go because it is time for her to be presented to her betrothed Robert Baratheon."
Lyanna's face paled slightly at the news, she did not feel ready to be introduced to her betrothed. The idea of it just made the whole situation seem even more real. Soon enough she was going to be sent south to marry Robert and the north would no longer be her home. No longer would she ride Dancer on the moors and be able to see for miles in any direction, or accompany her brother's on a hunt in the Wolfswood.
"This is not fair I'm getting the short end of this deal simply because I'm the third son, I'm simply a spare in case something happens to my brothers." Benjen all but shouted at his father.
"That is enough Benjen, your outburst only proves that you are to immature to let you represent House Stark to other noble houses" Her father shouted back angrily. Lyanna felt sorry for her Benjen yet she was also jealous of him, being the third son meant that while he may not be their father's heir he had much more control over his future than either Brandon or Lyanna. Given her current situation she would gladly trade positions with Benjen simply for the freedom of choice that had been denied to her in regards to her future.
Benjen angrily got up from the table and left the great hall. Her father angrily dismissed both Brandon and Lyanna soon after. Brandon turned to Lyanna beaming, "Are you not excited for this tourney sister? Mayhaps I should try my hand in the melee show those southern boys how a man of the north fights. And Imagine all the ladies that shall be there ripe for the taking," he added the last bit with a wink.
Lyanna rolled her eyes at her brothers antics. "Neither of your interests are really something that would interest me Brandon. I have no interest in chasing girls, nor would I be able to try my hand in the melee."
"There is no call for you to be melancholy, what about the great feasts in the hall of a hundred hearths, or all the mummers acts that a sure to be there you cannot tell me that you will not enjoy all of that?"
"It is not the tourney that I will not enjoy," Lyanna let out with a sigh, "but rather the introductions to my betrothed, it won't be long until I go south to marry him and I will never call Winterfell, or even the north home again. When Benjen was complaining about his position as the third son I wanted tell that I would gladly trade places with him just for the freedom to choose his own destiny."
Brandon's countenance became more serious as rubbed his beard, "I will not deny that I have often entertained the thought of what I would do if I had the option to choose my own way in life, but that is not the way of life for the children of lords and ladies. Fighting against our destinies in life will only lead to tragedy sweet sister."
"I think it would be more of a tragedy to live your whole life as merely a piece of driftwood in a river, never making a decision for your own," Lyanna retorted in a haughty voice. "I would rather die than to live a life like that."
Brandon responded placatingly, "That is not what I'm saying Lyanna I am merely saying if you spend your life fighting losing battles rather than trying to make the best of your situation is recipe for a bitter unhappy life. You have never even met Robert. If you go into the marriage already hating it for taking you away from the north then how can you ever be happy. You are going to marry Robert, Lyanna. Why not at least to try to be happy with it." With those parting words Brandon left Lyanna in the courtyard to think about what he had said.
Lyanna was awoken by the frantic knocking on her door "Coming!" she called out as she quickly got dressed. The knocking continued incessantly. When she finally was dressed she opened the door was almost hit by Benjen's fist as he was about to knock on the again.
"What is it that you could possibly need this badly that you had to wake me this early in morn?" Lyanna angrily asked
"You owe me from yesterday do you not?"
Lyanna groaned, "What is it that you want then?" praying that it would not be something to troubling to do, but judging from the grin growing on Benjen's face she knew that was not be.
"You're going to convince father to let me go to Harrenhal," Benjen said quickly as if afraid that Lyanna would stop him before he could get it all out. "Please Lyanna," he pleaded as she rolled her eyes and walked past him.
"I do not even want to go Benjen, but father wants Brandon and me to go for reasons he has already explained. That leaves you as the only one without a reason for going to Harrenhal besides wanting to, and you know as well as I that he will not leave Winterfell without a Stark in it."
"I know that Lyanna but why not have father be the one to stay behind," Lyanna stopped and thought about what Benjen was saying.
"That idea might have persuaded father yesterday, but with your outburst I doubt that he would be as willing to let you go."
"So I'll apologize to father."
"He will see right away that you are simply apologizing so that father will let you go to Harrenhal," Lyanna said matter of factly ending the conversation she turned and started to walk away. Benjen quickly caught up however.
"That's why I need you to be the one to ask father. If I ask it makes my apology look insincere, however if you ask then father will not see anything wrong with my apology," he layed out to her.
"But you asked me to ask on your behalf so your apology is still insincere Ben," she retorted.
Benjen smirked and said, "What father does not know will not hurt him." Lyanna rolled her eyes at Benjen using her words against her.
"Fine you go and apologize to father and I will ask him to let you go to the tourney with Brandon and me later today." Benjen smiled in triumph and immediately headed to their fathers solar to apologize. Lyanna left to meet with her mother. She found her mother sitting by a hearth doing needlework. When Lyarra saw her daughter enter the room she smiled and motioned for Lyanna to sit in the chair next to her. Lyanna did so and picked up her own needlework that she had left in the room when she had left to go for a ride yesterday. While Lyanna much preferred to be out on the Moors with Dancer, but she still enjoyed doing needlework with her mother it was time that was just the two of them. The two of them worked in companionable silence for almost an hour before Lyarra broke the silence.
"You were pretty quiet yesterday after your father told you about the tourney," her mother said with a knowing look.
Lyanna set her needlework down before responding, "It was just sudden. I do not know if I am ready to leave Winterfell mother. The next time I leave Winterfell I may never see it again, I am a Stark I belong in the North."
"Lyanna you are a Stark and as such you have a duty to this house. We all have our roles the sons are leaders and warriors, while daughters strengthen their house through marriage. It is a role than can sometimes be harder to bare than that of the sons, however ladies bare it every day Lyanna so must you. Trust me on this though your father would not have promised you to Robert if he did not think that you could be happy."
"I know you are right mother but I know that I would trade it all for piece of the freedom that Benjen has." With that Lyanna put her needwork to the side and stood up.
"Where are you going?" her mother questioned.
"I need to go speak with father on something." Lyanna left the room and headed for her father's solar. Her conversation with her mother still weighing on her mind. Lyanna knew her mother was right about it all but it did not change the fact that it all made her feel like livestock being traded for favors.
Lyanna Reached her father's solar and knocked. "Come in," came her father's response. As Lyanna walked through the door her father looked up from the letter he was writing and smiled at her. "Ah Lyanna, what brings you in here?" Rickard queried.
"Father I was wondering if instead of you accompanying Brandon and I that perhaps Benjen could accompany both Brandon and me to Harrenhal."
Her father smiled, "I'm afraid you're too late Lyanna, your brother already convinced me to let Benjen go."
Lyanna was surprised by this, "What Benjen changed your mind?"
"No Brandon did," her father responded, "He came in here a little while ago and claimed that if I were to go with him the other lords would just see him as my heir, rather than the future warden of the north. He also told me that there would be no better chance for Benjen to find a wife for himself, perhaps even an eldest daughter of an heirless lord."
"Very well Father may I be excused?"
"Yes go on." Lyanna was suspicious of her eldest brother as she left her father's solar, so she went to go and find Brandon. She found him leaving the kitchens after grabbing something for his midday meal.
She walked over to him and asked, "Why did you convince father to let Benjen go to the tourney with the both of us?"
Brandon grinned at Lyanna, "I was just being a good older brother."
"Why do I not believe that is the whole story? You thought it out before going to see father, and I know that Benjen did not ask you. If I had to guess you did it so that father would not go with us so you could go the tourney without having father disapprove of some of your less noble actions."
"You do have a sharp mind dearest sister, but you are not going to tell father are you?" Brandon half begged his sister.
"No because this gets me even with Benjen." Benjen beamed and Lyanna and turned to walk away, but was stopped by Lyanna's parting comment. "Besides you are forgetting that we will be meeting Ned at Harrenhal," Lyanna laughed at the smile that slowly disappeared from Brandon's face.
AN: So that's my first chapter done I hope you enjoyed as far as updates go There's no particular schedule but I am planning on posting a new chapter at least once or twice a week. Thank you for reading and reviews are appreciated.